Baseball

Mariners Take Both Games of Doubleheader from Scranton

Mar 28, 2012

KINGS POINT, N.Y. – The United States Merchant Marine Academy traveled to the University of Scranton on Saturday for two conference matchups, and they ended the day with two conference wins. The Mariners took both games of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, 11-4 and 12-6. The Mariners improve to 9-6 overall and 4-1 in Landmark Conference play while the Royals fall to 9-8 overall and 2-3 in Landmark Conference matchups.

Holding onto a one-run lead after three and a half in game one, the Mariners broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. After RBI's from freshman Cameron Stadele and sophomore John Martin got things going, Junior Dustin Thomsen put the Royals in a 9-3 hole, hammering a three-run home run over the left field fence. It was Thomsen's second home run of the day, giving him a total of five RBI's in the game.

The Mariners padded their lead in the top of the fifth, adding another home run, this time a solo shot from senior John Hubach. Stadele also recorded an RBI single to give the Mariners a commanding 11-3 lead.

The Mariners would only surrender one more run in the bottom of the fifth en route to an 11-4 victory. Senior Andy Martin earned the win for the Mariners, giving up four runs, three of them earned, on nine hits while striking out eight over six innings of work. Senior Rocky Sawyer took the loss for the Royals, surrendering seven runs on seven hits in three innings.

The second game of the doubleheader picked up just where the first had left off, as the Mariners continued to pour on the runs. The Mariners opened up the second inning with a four-run frame, due in large part to Dustin Thomsen's third home run in two games – a three-run shot to left center field. The Mariners would add another five runs in the top of the third inning thanks to RBI singles from John Martin and freshman Jacob Wood, as well as another three run home run, this time from sophomore Danny Collins, his first of two home runs he would have in the game. By the end of the third inning, the Mariners had built up a dominating 9-0 lead over the Royals.

The Royals put a four-run frame of their own in the bottom of the fourth, but it wouldn't be enough as the Mariners would hold on for a 12-6 victory. Dustin Thomsen earned the win for the Mariners, giving up six runs on 10 hits while striking out nine over six innings of work. Junior Robert Della Polla took the loss for the Royals, lasting only two and a third while giving up nine runs, five of them earned, on five hits.

Next up for the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the Mariners will have a third game against the University of Scranton on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.